TCFF 2025 Reviews: Anxiety Club (doc) & The Floaters – both #directedbywomen

TCFF wrapped over a week ago, but I'm still playing catch-up with reviewing the films. So today I'm posting a pair of female-directed comedies. One is a documentary and the other a narrative, both I highly recommend once they're available to watch near you or online. Anxiety Club (2025) Who hasn't faced anxiety in our …

Continue reading TCFF 2025 Reviews: Anxiety Club (doc) & The Floaters – both #directedbywomen

FlixChatter Review: John Candy: I Like Me (2025) – An incredibly moving documentary created by and for fans of the iconic funnyman

Why are some of the funniest performers often the ones who left us in such heartbreaking ways? John Belushi, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, John Ritter, and Robin Williams all left us way too early, some in tragic ways. John Candy: I Like Me documentary takes a look at the life and legacy of the legendary …

Continue reading FlixChatter Review: John Candy: I Like Me (2025) – An incredibly moving documentary created by and for fans of the iconic funnyman

Documentary Review: MATCH IN A HAYSTACK (2025) – A Ukrainian dance troupe’s story of resistance and creation during wartime

Match in a Haystack is a documentary set in Ukraine that could be the perfect double bill with Checkpoint Zoo, which was recently released in select theaters. Denver-based filmmaker Joe Hill, whose background is journalism, documents the journeys of three women from one of Ukraine's top contemporary dance troupes. In the wake of the extensive Russian …

Continue reading Documentary Review: MATCH IN A HAYSTACK (2025) – A Ukrainian dance troupe’s story of resistance and creation during wartime

FlixChatter Review: FOLKTALES (2025) – a wondrous, uplifting documentary showcasing students learning survival skills in the Arctic wilderness

I saw this documentary back in April at MSPIFF, and I’m sure glad I saw this on the big screen. Great documentaries pull you into a world you might not know much about, thanks to firsthand and in-depth storytelling and stunning visuals. That’s the main appeal of Folktales, as it tracks the experiences of a …

Continue reading FlixChatter Review: FOLKTALES (2025) – a wondrous, uplifting documentary showcasing students learning survival skills in the Arctic wilderness

Documentary Review: MY MOM JAYNE (2025) – Mariska Hargitay’s cathartic deep dive into her mother’s legacy and letting go of a long-kept secret

I have to admit that I’ve never actually seen a Jayne Mansfield film, so I’m not at all familiar with her work. When I think of Mansfield, I always think of her iconic photo with Sophia Loren at a Beverly Hills dinner that even got its own Wikipedia page! I went into this documentary with …

Continue reading Documentary Review: MY MOM JAYNE (2025) – Mariska Hargitay’s cathartic deep dive into her mother’s legacy and letting go of a long-kept secret

Documentary Review: WICK IS PAIN (2025) – the agony and ecstasy of bringing the iconic ‘John Wick’ action franchise to life

Few movie franchise deserves a documentary treatment, but the journey of the John Wick action series from independent film to billion-dollar franchise is an intriguing one. Wick Is Pain is such a perfect title, which was borne out of a remark director Chad Stahelski made to its star, Keanu Reeves, more on that later. Stahelski …

Continue reading Documentary Review: WICK IS PAIN (2025) – the agony and ecstasy of bringing the iconic ‘John Wick’ action franchise to life

MSPIFF Feature Documentary Reviews: 2025’s Jury Award winner CHECKPOINT ZOO + Audience Award winner THE LAST JOURNEY

The MSPIFF just announced this year's award winners, which you can read about here. I just started drafting my reviews of these two documentaries when the news dropped, so let's just say I'm thrilled with the selections! Checkpoint Zoo Feldman Ecopark in Kharkiv used to be one of Ukraine's favorite animal sanctuaries, but it ended …

Continue reading MSPIFF Feature Documentary Reviews: 2025’s Jury Award winner CHECKPOINT ZOO + Audience Award winner THE LAST JOURNEY